Buried in a King’s Vault

By Lyn Forde – President/Research Officer of St Marys & District Historical Society Inc.

MOST of us know that the church and cemetery of St Mary Magdalene Anglican church in St Marys has a very old historical significance, especially as it was built by a NSW Governor’s family and as such has many of their ancestors sleeping in the graveyard. One such ancestor was James Lethbridge Templer buried in the King Family vault. James was born in Bridport in Dorset in England in November 1811 and the eldest of thirteen children. His parents were James Templer and Catherine Lethbridge. Catherine’s parents were Christopher Lethbridge & Mary “Polly” Copland. He was educated at a grammar school at Charmouth then at Charterhouse. His poems, some dating from his youth, were privately published in London in 1872 by his brother John Charles Templer. At the age of fifteen he entered the maritime service of the East India Company and was rapidly promoted. In 1835 he sailed to China as Commander of his uncle’s ship the Minerva. He resigned his command and began trading in the East but was unsuccessful and left China in 1839 to visit family in Sydney. In his handwritten journal started in China an account of a voyage to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) and New South Wales in the ship the “Young Queen”. He was a prolific artist and filled many sketchbooks in his short lifetime. The Mitchell Library holds a copy of an Australian sketchbook depicting the landscape and buildings of the Penrith area where his uncle Robert Copland Lethbridge had settled. James was given painting lessons by his mother. He was an admirer of Conrad Martens whom he met in Sydney in 1839 and made several copies of Martens’ work. James was a competent painter of both landscape and animals and was said to possess “an absolute passion for the horse and hound” and his album also contains drawings of a kangaroo hunt where he took part. He had a keen appreciation of horseflesh and his journal documents his efforts to paint various horses from the stables of the Australian Agricultural Company for his Uncle, especially a finished watercolour of “Beagle” an Australian Bred Horse and the Property of Captain Phillip Parker King, R.N & dated December 1839 held by the Mitchell Library together with other watercolour portraits of horses. James made a sketch of St Stephens Church in June 1839 a month before the Church at Penrith was officially consecrated. This rare drawing is one of a series of sketches he made that year while staying in the district. During the latter part of 1839 when he stayed with Phillip Parker King’s family at Tahlee near Port Stephens he came into close contact with the local Aborigines. At this early period when settlement was making further advances into areas traditionally occupied by the Aborigines and when great tension existed in the more remote areas of the colony, James’ journal shows a real interest in Aboriginal custom and ceremonies. On a number of occasions he records the employment of Aborigines as crewmen on local boats and ferries and also gives a detailed account of a ceremony (‘corroboree’) presented apparently as an exhibition for the entertainment of visitors. This account includes details of body painting in preparation for the event but finishes with the observation that the performance probably lacked the liveliness and authenticity it might have when conducted out of sight of European spectators. Towards the end of his stay at Port Stephens he reports the details of a Christmas feast given to the Aborigines at Carrington Flat. This comprised of a whole Bullock (roasted in 4 quarters) along with a couple of large plum puddings and lots of tea and damper. In October 1840 while living in Sydney James decided to pursue a career as a cattle and horse breeder at Erskine Park where he had a problem with a runaway worker convict named Thomas Coker aged 28 who had come on the “Captain Cook” from Uxbridge whose occupation was a butcher and soldier and worked for James who had given him a pass to Parramatta on his behalf where he absconded and was on the run for nine days before being apprehended. In 1844 the first District Agricultural Show was held at St Marys on a portion of the land owned by Andrew Thompson and James wrote the following poem called SPEED THE PLOUGH:-

In the days of my youth when the trumpet of war, by Gallia’s usurper was sounded afar

The patriot toast at each Englishman’s board, after “ King, Church, and State” was “Success to the Sword”

But the fierce foemen vanquished his victories’ vain, merry peace smiles around us triumphant again

And the first bumper toast that we will drink now, will be “Victoria the Queen and Success to the Plough”

Rejoicing in peace see the well-tilled field, its plentiful store to the husbandman yield.

His labours with increase abundant repay, while manure its fertility keeps from decay.

Where heretofore one vast dense forest appeared, trees are fallen logs burned and the land is now cleared

Age leaving a rich crop of wheat even now, then “Here’s Prince Albert’s Health and Success to the Plough”

Though o’er us the fell storm of ruin has past, our English energy will conquer at last

We’ll not tamely be driven by Government sway, but its imposts despotic expose to full day

Our Queen will the husbandman’s labours protect, his exertions rewarded and his freedom respect

Whilst the Church his full claim to her care will allow, then “Here’s England’s Church and Success to the Plough”

For the husbandman’s wealth is the wealth of the State, without agriculture would England be great?

Dependent on others to bring her her food, can such short-sighted maxims one moment hold good?

Even here, if on Chili for wheat we rely, and her crops fail where can we get a supply?

All the wheat all the grain we consume let us grow, then “Here’s to St Marys and Success to the Plough”

Sadly, in August 1845 James aged 33was killed instantly when returning with some friends from a picnic in Richmond when he was thrown by his horse against a tree.Sources: Trove, Nepean Times, Ancestry, State Library of NSW, Sketch of James courtesy of National Library of Australia.